Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith took full responsibility for their 26-20 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
After committing a series of errors that sunk his team in the fourth quarter and the extra period, Smith did not hold back on his apologies to his teammates and their loyal fanbase.
He also acknowledged the trust placed upon him and did not deny that the loss would sting for a while.
‘First of all, I want to start off by apologizing to my teammates, really, and to the city, to the organization,’ Smith said, via the team’s official website.’ ‘They put a lot of trust in me with my decision-making, and when they put the ball in my hands, when my teammates play the way they played today and to give us a shot to win the game, I’ve got to make sure we do.
‘The things I did today, mistakes that I made, they affected us negatively and really cost us the game today,’ he added.
Geno Smith issued a groveling apology after Seattle’s overtime loss to the Rams on Sunday
Smith shouldered the weight of the loss after the game, as Seattle lost five of their last six
‘Me knowing myself, I know how much this is going to hurt. I’m going to step it up, though. That’s how I feel about it. I’m going to step it up.’
Smith threw for 363 yards and three touchdowns in the game. However, his three interceptions became the catalyst for their downfall. He was also sacked seven times in the contest.
A particularly brutal error happened as Seattle drove to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Smith was pressured into throwing a pass that was intercepted by Rams defensive back Karmen Kinchens, who converted the steal into a 130-yard rushing touchdown.
Smith continued to battle despite the errors, including an eight-play, 73-yard drive to force overtime. Unfortunately, the mistakes continued to haunt the signal caller.
‘All those situations just led me to think, ‘Man, we’ve got to get it done, I’ve got to get it done for my guys and for the city,” he said. ‘I really feel like I let everybody down today. I really do.’
Smith had a decent showing up until he threw three crucial interceptions late in the contest
Smith threw for 363 yards and three touchdowns before throwing three picks in the loss
The game would mark the first time Smith was intercepted thrice since Week 8 in 2014. The last time he threw two fourth-quarter quarter interceptions was in his second game as a rookie with the New York Jets in 2013.
While the errors weren’t entirely his fault, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald applauded his quarterback for shouldering the blame.
‘He made some big-time plays for us,’ Macdonald said. ‘It’s not easy, didn’t have a lot of time back there. They had a good rush plan. We’ve got to protect him better. And I’m sure he’s going to tell you that he’s going to take ownership of the three picks. We’ve got to make smarter decisions in that way.
‘We’ve got to finish drives,’ he added. ‘We’ve got to take care of the football. You guys see it. We see it. We have to be better if we’re going to win.’
After acing their first three games, Seattle now dwells at the bottom of the NFC West after losing five of their last six games.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk